Zimbabwean president urges compensation from Britain over colonial injustices

Harare, Nov 5 (IANS) Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa reiterated his call for former colonial power Britain to apologise and compensate for injustices suffered by indigenous Zimbabweans during the 1890-1980 colonial period.

Speaking on Monday at the burial of a senior member of Zimbabwe's ruling party ZANU PF at the National Heroes Acre in Harare, the country's capital, Mnangagwa said Britain should not remain indifferent to Zimbabwe's pleas for compensation.

"We demand an apology and reparations from the British government. We call upon the British government, whose predecessor governments were responsible for pillaging and brutalizing us, to take responsibility and not remain indifferent to the cries of Zimbabweans for justice," he said.

Mnangagwa made the same call to Britain last Friday while announcing an initiative to study the impacts of Britain's colonialism on indigenous Zimbabweans and launch legal proceedings against Britain for compensation and apology.

On Monday, Mnangagwa hailed the Zimbabwe National Elders Forum for the initiative, Xinhua news agency reported.

"I applaud our elders for this great initiative that will document the suppressed and untold story of the injustices, trauma, and loss of lives as well as livelihoods suffered at the hands of the British government," he said.

--IANS

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